The research paper titled Plant disease suppression by a plant-symbiotic endophytic fungus (Epichloë festucae) depends on its ability to produce an antifungal compound has identified a gene responsible for an endophyte’s plant host disease resistance-enhancing ability.  “Endophytes are either bacteria or fungi, which spend the whole or part of their life cycle inside a healthy host plant. Unlike pathogens, they don’t cause apparent symptoms of disease; some of them can […]

The members of the National Cooperative Test (NCT) approved more than 20 inbred and hybrid varieties in 2014 developed by public and private rice breeding institutions. According to PhilRice plant breeder Dr. Oliver Manangkil, among the newly-released varieties, 1 hybrid (Mestiso 55) and 2 inbreds (Tubigan 28 and Tubigan 30) were developed by PhilRice. NSIC Rc354 or Tubigan 28 is an early-maturing variety (112 days) with higher resistance to common […]